1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a display apparatus and a portable information processing apparatus incorporating the display apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
A standard window system which is one of a screen display system for computers employs a coordinate input device such as a pointing device, e.g., a mouse or a track ball, for the purpose of commanding the position and movement of a cursor on a display screen. A program which has been related to an icon displayed at a predetermined coordinate position is started when the user operates a selecting button such as a clock button of, for example, a mouse, after placing the cursor on the icon. The user also can designate a predetermined region or area on the display screen by moving the cursor while continuing pressing of the selecting button.
This type of display system permits scrolling of the display screen by suitably operating the cursor.
The operations such as alteration of the display screen, movement of the cursor, scrolling of the display screen and so forth, however, are difficult to conduct in known wearable device such as wrist-watch-type devices having conventional arrangement of the operating means for inputting instructions for implementing these operations. Such difficulty arises from the posture of the wearable device when used and from the limited size of the operating means. Thus, the user tends to fail to smoothly effect operations such as pointing of a position, scrolling, etc., and to make wrong selection of the functions.
Pointers such as a mouse or a track point in one hand permits a cursor to move in any desired direction but on the other hand poses a problem in that the cursor becomes unstable, hampering smooth and accurate pointing of a position.
For instance, referring to FIG. 57, the cursor may erroneously designate a point P2 at coordinates X2, Y2 on a menu screen 2000 having a plurality of icons 2004, even when the user intended to move the cursor to a point P1 which is at coordinates X1, Y1. This is mainly attributed to the fact that the large degree of freedom of operation of the pointing device, e.g., a mouse, for implementing all-direction movement of the cursor tends to allow errors xcex94X, xcex94Y to occur with respect to the target point P1. Consequently, the user cannot accurately point the target position in one action. After wrongly pointing the point P2, the user has to operate the operation means once again to move the cursor from P2 to P1.
FIG. 58 shows another type of portable information processing apparatus denoted by 2010. A cursor displayed on the display screen 2014 can be moved in all directions, i.e., up and down and to the left and right, in accordance with instruction input through an operation means 2012.
Obviously, this type of portable information processing apparatus also suffers from the problem explained in the foregoing.
In case of a portable information terminal device, sizes of the display screen, icons and operation means are small as compared with ordinary personal computers (PCs). The portable information terminal device is difficult to use when the operation means are arranged and used in the same way as those on ordinary PCs.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a display apparatus which, even when used on a small-sized information processing apparatus such as a wearable device, enables the user to accurately and adequately conduct operations such as pointing and scrolling by means of a cursor, with improved ease of use.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a portable information processing apparatus incorporating such a display apparatus.
To this end, according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a display apparatus, comprising: display means for displaying, on a display screen, a display image containing a time axis formed so as to extend at least in a first direction; input operation means for physically moving at least the time axis in one of the first direction; and controlling means for controlling the display screen based on an operational input given by an operation of the input operation means; wherein the input operation means includes a rotational operating means having an axis of rotation extending in second directions which cross the first direction; and wherein the rotational operating means is arranged such that a rotational operation of the rotational operation means by a first physical amount causes a physical movement of at least the time axis by a second physical amount corresponding to the first physical amount.
In accordance with these features of the first aspect of the present invention, it is possible to arrange such that the direction of scrolling (first direction) of the time axis on the display screen coincides with the direction of rotation of the input operation means. Hitherto, as stated before, operations such as alteration of the display screen, movement of cursor, scrolling of the display screen and so forth could not easily be conducted on wrist-wear type portable device having conventional arrangement of input operation means, due to restriction in the size of the input operation means and the posture of the wrist-worn device when operated. In contrast, according to the invention, the user can easily effect operations using cursor, because the scrolling direction coincides with the direction of rotation of the input operation means.
Conventional all-direction pointer such as a mouse or a track point allows unstable behavior of the cursor in response to the input instruction. In contrast, the display apparatus of the invention can ensure stable movement of the cursor because the cursor is movable only uni-axially. Further, the uni-axial movement of the cursor at high speed is realized by making use of the centrifugal force and inertial of the rotational input operation means. It is therefore possible to accurately command the horizontal movement and position of the cursor, while achieving high speed of cursor movement, with linear relationship between the operational input and the response of the display screen, whereby an interface is implemented which is easy to understand.
In the display apparatus of the first aspect having the described features, the rotational operation means may be arranged such that a direction tangent to the rotational operation means coincides with the first direction.
With this arrangement, the rotational operation means can also be sued for the purpose of setting a greater scale of display, i.e., enlargement of the display. This eliminates the necessity of complicated operation mechanism, thus reducing burden on the user, as well as the cost.
In the display apparatus of the first aspect, the input operation means may be arranged such that the input operation means when operated causes an enlargement of a predetermined display region of the display screen.
With this arrangement, the direction of movement coincides with the direction in which the display region is enlarged, giving an impression to the user as if the input operation means is mechanically linked to the display screen. It is therefore possible to realize a user-friendly operation environment.
When such an enlarging function is implemented, the arrangement may be such that the operation means is movable at least in the second directions, and causes the enlargement of the predetermined display region when moved in one of the second directions.
With this arrangement, the user can easily recognize the enlarged display region at one end of the display screen toward which the input operation means is moved.
This enlarging function may be implemented such that the input operation means is located at one end of the display screen as viewed in the first direction and, by being moved in one of the second directions, causes the enlargement of the predetermined display region which is positioned at one end of the display screen as viewed in the second directions With this arrangement, the user can enlarge the display region and easily recognize the enlarged display region at one end of the display screen, by moving the input operation means in one of the second directions.
In an alternative case, the arrangement is such that the input operation means, by being moved in the other of the second directions, causes the enlargement of the predetermined display region which is positioned at the other end of the display screen as viewed in the second directions.
With this arrangement, the user can enlarge the display region and easily recognize the enlarged display region at the other end of the display screen, by moving the input operation means in the other of the second directions.
In each of these two cases, the arrangement may be such that the input operation means is movable at least in the first direction and, by being moved at least in the first direction, moves and sets the position of a cursor on the display screen at least in the first direction.
With this arrangement, the input operation means serves also as means for commanding the movement and position of the cursor. This eliminates the necessity for any complicated input operation mechanism for commanding the cursor. It is thus possible to reduce the cost, while implementing small-sized input operation means suitable for use on small-sized portable device.
The display apparatus of the first aspect may be implemented such that the rotational operation means comprises a first operating portion which is disposed at one end of the display screen as viewed in the second directions.
With this arrangement, the first operating portion disposed at one end as viewed in the second direction can have an axis of rotation extending in the second direction, thus offering a greater ease of use.
In this arrangement, the first operating portion may be constructed so as to be movable in the second directions to move and set the position of the cursor on the display screen in the first direction when moved in the second directions, and, when rotated, to move and set the position of the cursor on the display screen in a third direction which perpendicularly crosses the time axis.
In this case, the first operating portion serves also as means for inputting instructions for moving and setting the cursor position. This eliminates the necessity for complicated operating mechanism, contributing to reduction in the cost, while adapting the display apparatus to small-sized devices.
When the rotational operation means has the first operating portion as stated above, the display apparatus may further comprise a second operating portion which perpendicularly crosses the time axis. In this case, the controlling means performs, based on the operation of the second operating portion, control of the display screen so as to enlarge the pitch of time scale of the time axis in the first direction.
In this display apparatus, therefore, the user can increase the pitch of the time scale of the time axis, i.e., to have the time axis displayed at a greater scale, by operating the second operating portion.
When the rotational operation means has the first operating portion as stated above, the display apparatus may further comprise a third operating portion which perpendicularly crosses the time axis. In this case, the controlling means performs, based on the operation of the third operating portion, control of the display screen so as to contract the pitch of time scale of the time axis in the first direction.
In this display apparatus, therefore, the user can reduce the pitch of the time scale of the time axis, i.e., to contract the time axis displayed on the display screen, by operating the third operating portion.
The display apparatus, when it comprises the aforesaid first operating portion movable in the second direction to move and set the cursor position in the first direction, may be constructed such that the area of the display screen is divided into a plurality of first display segment regions in the third direction perpendicularly crossing the time axis. In this case, the controlling means includes mode controlling means which performs switching between a first mode in which all the first display segment regions are displayed substantially at an equal scale and a second mode in which at least one of the first display segment regions is displayed in a greater scale than others. In addition, the display apparatus further comprises a fourth operating portion which gives a switching instruction to the mode controlling means for effecting the switching of the display mode.
With these features, the user can enlarge one or more of the first display segment regions, by operating the fourth operating portion. The user therefore can easily recognize the display region which is being used.
This display apparatus having the function to enlarge at least one of the display segment regions may be further modified such that the displaying means has a lower-level mode which is subordinate to the second mode and which sub-divides each the first display segment region into a plurality of second display segment regions in the third direction. Operation of the second operating portion in the second direction causes the cursor to jump between the second display segment regions.
In this modification, therefore, the user can freely effect movement of the cursor between the second display segment regions, by operating the second operating portion. Thus, the cursor can jump to and from any of the hierarchical levels. It is thus possible to eliminate complicated operation which hitherto is necessary when a complicated hierarchical structure is employed.
The above-described modification may be further altered such that the display means divides each the second display segment regions into a plurality of third display segment regions in the first direction. In this case, the second operating portion when rotated causes the cursor to jump between the third display segment regions.
In this case, therefore, the user can freely effect movement of the cursor between the third display segment regions, by operating the second operating portion. Thus, the cursor can jump to and from any of the hierarchical levels. It is thus possible to eliminate complicated operation which hitherto is necessary when a complicated hierarchical structure is employed.
The aforesaid display apparatus having the function to enlarge one of the display segment regions may be constructed such that each second display segment region has a plurality of different hierarchical structures, and the second operating portion permits the cursor to jump between the hierarchical levels.
The display apparatus in accordance with the first aspect may further comprise posture angle detecting means for detecting the posture angle of the display means with respect to a horizontal plane. In this case, the controlling means includes a posture switch control unit which controls, based on the result of detection of the posture angle detecting means, a power supply such as to turn on the power supply when the detected posture angle falls within a predetermined range, and to turn off the power supply when the detected posture angle does not fall within the predetermined range.
With these features, the power is automatically turned on and off in accordance with the angle at which the display apparatus is inclined. Thus, the power is kept off when the user does not look at the display screen, so as to eliminate wasteful display operation, thus contributing to saving of electrical power.
In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a display apparatus, comprising: display means for displaying, on a display screen, a display image containing a time axis formed so as to extend at least in a first direction; input operation means for enabling operational input of the display image at least on the display screen; and controlling means for controlling the display screen based on an operational input given by an operation of the input operation means. The display means displays display segment regions defined by dividing the display screen in a second direction perpendicularly crossing the time axis. The controlling means includes a first operating portion which when moved to one end as viewed in the second direction causes a display segment region adjacent to the end to be enlarged on the display and, when further moved again to the one end, causes one of other display segment regions to be enlarged.
In the display apparatus of the second aspect, the direction of movement, i.e., in the second direction, of the first operating portion coincides with the direction in which the specified display region is enlarged. The degree of enlargement of the display region, therefore, can be adjusted by adjusting the amount of movement of the first operating portion. It is thus possible to obtain a user-friendly display apparatus which is easy to use. Moving the first operating portion two or more times at the above-mentioned one end as viewed in the second direction produces display modes different from that obtained when the first operating member is operated only once. Thus, a single operating portion performs a plurality of functions, contributing to reduction in the overall size of the display apparatus.
The display apparatus of the second aspect may be arranged such that the input operation means has a second operating portion which, when moved to one end as viewed in the first direction, enlarges the pitch of time scale of the time axis.
This feature permits zoom-up operation and data opening operation to be effected by an identical action.
Preferably, the second operating portion when moved to the one end causes a lower-level menu of icons to be displayed.
In this case, the second operating portion serves to means for giving an instruction to display lower-level menu of icons. This eliminates the necessity for the complicated mechanism, thus contributing to reduction in the cost and adapting the display apparatus to small-sized devices.
The above-mentioned second operating portion may comprise a pointing device which moves and sets the position of a cursor on the display screen, thereby designating the position where an icon is to be displayed.
In this case, the second operating portion serves as means for commanding the cursor position and, hence, the position where the icon information is to be displayed. This eliminates the necessity for the complicated mechanism, thus contributing to reduction in the cost and adapting the display apparatus to small-sized devices.
The display apparatus in accordance with the second aspect may further comprise posture angle detecting means for detecting the posture angle of the display means with respect to a horizontal plane. In this case, the controlling means includes a posture switch control unit which controls, based on the result of detection of the posture angle detecting means, a power supply such as to turn on the power supply when the detected posture angle falls within a predetermined range, and to turn off the power supply when the detected posture angle does not fall within the predetermined range.
With these features, the power is automatically turned on and off in accordance with the angle at which the display apparatus is inclined. Thus, the power is kept off when the user does not look at the display screen, so as to eliminate wasteful display operation, thus contributing to saving of electrical power.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a portable information processing apparatus comprising a display apparatus which may be of any of the foregoing aspects and arrangements.
Hitherto, as stated before, operations such as alteration of the display screen, movement of cursor, scrolling of the display screen and so forth could not easily be conducted on wrist-wear type portable device having conventional arrangement of input operation means, due to restriction in the size of the input operation means and the posture of the wrist-worn device when operated. In contrast, in the portable device of the invention, the user can easily effect operations using cursor, because the scrolling direction coincides with the direction of rotation of the input operation means.
Conventional all-direction pointer such as a mouse or a track point allows unstable behavior of the cursor in response to the input instruction. In contrast, the portable information processing apparatus of the invention can ensure stable movement of the cursor because the cursor is movable only uni-axially.
The portable information processing apparatus as described above may further comprise a wrist-wearing portion connected to the display apparatus so that the portable information processing apparatus can be worn on a user""s wrist.
This portable information processing apparatus therefore can be implemented as a very small wearable device like a wrist-watch-type device.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become clear from the following description of the preferred embodiments when the same is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.